Calls Me Home
by bsinger95
Summary: AU They became best friends on set of the first movie, but life had different plans for them. Now years later they are called back for a reunion at the final installment's premiere. Maybe life's journey will finally call them back home.
1. Prologue

It's weird how someone can go from being your best friend to a complete stranger. You go from, seeing each other 24/7 to avoiding each other at every cost. You go from talking on the phone every night to hoping you hear the _I'm Too Sexy_ ringtone one last time. You go from thinking about where you two will be in the future to reliving past memories.

I'd never thought we'd end up here. Hating each other and pretending the other one doesn't exist. If you would have told me a year ago that we wouldn't be best friends today I would have laughed in your face. Who's laughing now? I know I'm not.

Sometimes, I still go to his _Twitter_ or _Instagram_ page to check in on him because, let's face it, I will always love him. Sure, I unfollowed him back, but he was the one who chose not to be my friend. I can't… no, I won't beg him to be my friend again, especially if he doesn't want to be. I can understand he cares a lot for her, but what did that have to do with us? Why did that cost me my best friend?

Now, I have to see him again with all our friends because there's no way to get out of this reunion. The final installment of the franchise is premiering and we were all invited. As much as I'm dreading seeing him again, I have to admit I'm more excited to see everyone else. I've been so busy with other projects I haven't been able to see all of them together since the premiere of the very first movie. The one that started it all.

My mind is made up. I send my brother, in everything but blood, a text letting him know I'm coming. He replies with a simple _Thank God._

Been watching a bunch of Clato and Alexbelle videos on youtube which inspired this little piece. May turn into a full on story (AU obviously). Let me know what you think.


	2. Chapter 1

It's been three glorious yet unsatisfying years for me, Clove Sevina. Ever since the first movie tour ended I had been out of California working on one movie after the other. I could honestly say I met some pretty cool people on set who went from being just my co-stars to friends. But nothing compared to the family I made three years ago. Even then, things have changed. The person I thought would be my best friend forever ended up hating me. Of course, because of this, I ended up not visiting LA as often as I used to and I lost contact with a lot of my other family. Sure I'm still great friends with them, but it could have been different. Now it's as if something is missing.

My plane landed 20 minutes ago but I have yet to find the courage to make my way to the baggage claim. Honestly, I don't know why I'm so nervous. It's not like I have anything to be nervous about here. This. The airport... The airport is safe. He's not here. I've done my research before making my final decision to return and found out he's been working on a project in town for a while now. No chance he would be here. There is a high chance I won't ever run into him considering he may be busy working on his project the entire time I'm in town.

I finally make my way to the baggage claim where I'm sure my things have been waiting for me. They've probably gone around at least a hundred times while security is getting ready to confiscate them for safety purposes. I roll my eyes. Seriously what am I thinking?! I am Clove Sevina. No boy is going to make me hide. Especially not the guy I used to call my best friend. As if.

Well, look who finally decided to grace us with her presence."

As I turn around I can't stop the smile that sneaks its way onto my lips. In front of me is the one and only Peeta Mellark. When I see his warm blue eyes I feel the weight I've been carrying for a year and half lift off my shoulders. When I see his friendly smile, the smile only Peeta could give, I forget all the reasons I stayed away from home. As I catapulted my body to Peeta's I notice his eyes grow big, but like always he doesn't fail to catch me.

Well… I guess maybe next time someone won't wait three years to return home." Peeta smirks at me. He only meant it as a joke but I could sense the double meaning behind his words. I looked down shamefully.

"You're right… I just… after that first year it became easier to stay away." I looked at Peeta and could tell he wanted to talk about _him _but wouldn't because I'm not ready to talk about it. It was so easy to just avoid the repercussions of our fallout while I was filming my latest project. Like all my recent films, this last one was done on location. I was able to avoid all the phone calls and texts from our group of friends that were curious to know what happened. Peeta understood that what happened between us would stay between us until I was ready to talk. Of course, he had his own work to worry about so it's not like he could push it. Days turned to weeks and weeks turned to months. Now here I am and sooner or later he'll bring it up though. Somehow he'll get me to talk about my feelings or whatever. That's just Peeta. Always has a way with words.

He took my bags and we started making our way out of the airport. It wasn't long before he said "You know I understand why you decided to stay away for so long," I guess sooner came rather than later. Very subtle, Peeta. I sigh. "but you and I both know you weren't alone. You could've come to me or—"

"That's just it though. I didn't want to come to you about it because it's not like it was a big deal. I didn't need any help dealing with that particular situation."

"I know that's just Clove being Clove, but I just hate that you felt you had to be on the other side of the country to deal with 'that particular situation'. I knew what would happen and I should've prevented it. I should've—"

"What Peeta? Protect me?" I could see the guilt behind his eyes. I don't understand why though none of it was his fault. "It wasn't your job to do that. I love you for wanting to do that but I can protect myself. None of what happened was your fault. Shit just happens… Besides we wouldn't want Katniss to get jealous would we?" It was my turn to smirk at him as he turned a shade of pink. "What's wrong Peeta? Kat got your tongue?" I laughed out loud at the sight of his cheeks go from pink to bright red.

"Ok we're not talking about this." Peeta began putting my luggage in the trunk.

"Aww come on. That's not fair! I'm gone for three years and you're not gonna update me on the epic love story of Everlark?!" Peeta looked at me with one eyebrow raised.

"Everlark?"

"Yeah. You know like Brangelina, Kimye, Joshifer? I'm sure as hell not gonna call you Peeniss. That's just wrong, so Everlark it is." I see his eyes studying me.

"I thought you didn't like Kim Kardashian." Peeta shut the trunk of his car.

"Oh don't even get me started. To be honest she is so overrated. I don't know why—" I stopped and glared at Peeta with a smirk on my face. I realized what he was trying to do. Damn, he's good. Just not that good. "Oh no! I see what you're trying to do. You're not changing the subject."

"Damn, so close."

"And yet so far away. You might as well tell me." I got in the car and Peeta followed suite. "Because you know I'll find a way to get some unfortunate soul to tell me everything eventually." Peeta just looked at me and sighed.

"Trust me. I know you will!" I continued to smirk at him as he began to drive us to his place.

* * *

"Katniss, would you slow down a bit?"

"I can't. There is too much to do before the premiere Friday night and I'm stressing out."

"Trust me when I say I know. I'm even getting stressed with all the pacing you're doing."

Katniss Everdeen stopped to look at her friend. She noticed the care free look on Johanna Mason's face as she flipped through the latest edition of _Entertainment Weekly_.

"Oh yes. I can see the stress is taking such a toll on you. Seriously Jo, you look as if you might drop dead at any moment now." Katniss let sarcasm drip with every word she spoke.

"Now, now Katniss, is someone a little cranky because she hasn't gotten any in months?" Johanna flipped through the magazine as if she could care less about the conversation, but Katniss knew better. She noticed the all but subtle smirk play across her lips. Johanna had been bugging her about her love life for weeks now.

"Kiss my ass." Johanna quirked her eyebrow up at her friend's words.

"Oh my dear Katniss, I know you would just love for me to do that to relieve you of your agony, but I don't roll that way. However, if you really wanted to make Peeta jealous you could always ask…Gale." Johanna smiled sinisterly at the thought.

"Eww. Gale and I are just fri—"

"Just friends? Yeah I know. Just like how you and Peeta are _just friends_, right?" Johanna looked at Katniss with a scrutinizing look.

"We are just friends."

"But you want to be more than that."

Katniss knew it wasn't a question but rather a statement. She couldn't decide if she should say what she really wanted to say, or not. She held Johanna's gaze not willing to back down from her challenging friend.

"No. Not at all." _Lies_.

"Come on Katniss, just admit it. I didn't hear you object to making him jealous. I also didn't forget our little discussion we had last year."

When Katniss didn't answer Johanna rolled her eyes and proceeded to flip aimlessly through her reading material. "You know Katniss, lying to yourself isn't going to help the situation any. Clearly, you two are just suppressing your feelings for each other."

"Yeah, you should talk. Everyone knows that you and Gale like each other, well except you and Gale."

"Just because we've made out before does not mean we like each other. Stupid paparazzi don't know when to mind their own damn business. Besides we were both tipsy. It could have been anyone."

"Yeah I would believe that, but when you get caught three times in the same night it kind of makes one wonder whether or not you two are just suppressing your feelings for each other."

Johanna stopped and cringed. She had to hand it to Katniss for using her own line against her. However, Johanna Mason was not one to be upstaged, even it were by her friend. "Ok Everdeen. How about we make a little deal. Get Peeta to be your date for the premiere and I just might admit to having some feelings toward the eldest Hawthorne boy."

Katniss quirked her eyebrow. "Might?"

"Take it or leave it."

"Fine. You got a deal Mason." Johanna simply smirked.

* * *

"So let me get this straight. You like her and she likes you, but you aren't together?"

Peeta led me into his house as I was trying to wrap my head around the fact that two of my closest friends finally admitted to liking each other but weren't together.

"Clove, I don't know. It's just—"

"If you say 'complicated' I swear I'll kick your ass. There's nothing complicated about it. Lord knows there's been a bet going, since our very first table read, on when you two would get together. If you two finally admitted that you like each other then why aren't you two like the power couple of our franchise? "

Peeta sighed and ran a hand over his face. I followed him over to his leather couch to sit and listen to what he had to say. "That's just it… We never actually told each other our feelings for the other."

I looked at Peeta as if he grew a second head. "The hell you mean you never told each other?!"

"Ok. How do I explain this?" I gave Peeta a look.

"Just spit it out, Mellark!"

"Alright. Around the time when we went on tour to promote the second movie Finnick and I were waiting for Johanna and Katniss to do a group interview, when we kind of overheard them talking."

"Well?! What happened?"

"We heard Katniss tell Johanna she started developing feelings for me as more than a friend. Jo told her if that was true than I deserved the right to know just as she deserved the right to express her feelings. The thing is, at the time I was dating someone else and she had just gotten out of a serious relationship. Anyway, Finnick then wanted to know how I felt about her and I couldn't lie. I told him I had been in love with Katniss from the moment I met her. I'm not quite sure how their conversation ended but I know Katniss didn't want to cause problems because she ended up never telling me how she felt. It was just bad timing all around."

"Ok, but what about now? I know you aren't dating anyone so obviously she does too. Why haven't you two said anything now?"

"Well, with the risk of you kicking my ass, it's complicated." I just rolled my eyes at this. "She started dating some mystery guy a few months back. Nothing serious, but a few dates. She never would tell anyone who it was, but always gushed about him. Naturally I decided not to tell Katniss about my feelings for her because she seemed genuinely happy. I had never seen her like that. Weeks later, there were rumors going on in the tabloids, of course, about how things between Katniss and her '_Mystery Man_' were getting rocky. This comes from an inside source of course. Whenever I ask about it she just blows me off, so I'm not sure what's going on with her anymore."

Wow I couldn't believe my ears. I know this isn't even the whole story. So much can happen in 3 years, I would know, so I can't even imagine what else I missed out on while being away for so long. "I'm sorry Peet. I know how much you love her." I gave him a real Clove smile.

"Yeah well, I'll be fine. We're still best friends. I'll take what I can get. Anyway, I should probably let you settle in. We're in for a crazy week."

"Uh right." Peeta and I grabbed my belongings and headed upstairs. I followed him through the hallway, past his familiar room, to the guestroom.

"You'll be staying in here. I know it's not much but—"

I took my temporary room in as Peeta's words faded. He transformed the guestroom into a room specifically for me. A queen sized bed was placed against the back wall as a dark purple comforter lay delicately on the mattress. Next to the bed on the right was a nightstand decorated with pictures of my family. On the other side of the room, a dresser was littered with lotions and body sprays that had been my favorite for years. Only Peeta knows that I secretly shop at _Bath &amp; Body Works_. However, the picture stuck in the mirror is what caught my attention.

I saw my 15 year old self along with my former costars all smiling at me from where we had been on the beach next to a bonfire. I remember that night as if it just happened yesterday. It was the night of our first movie premiere together.

Everyone was dressed their best and it could not have been more fun taking pictures with everyone on the red carpet. The night was a success as everyone in the audience loved the film. It was amazing to see the final product. We were all really proud of the cast and crews hard work.

Since everyone in the main cast were all underage, and weren't allowed to go to the real after party, Marvel decided to have a spontaneous after party of our own. Which of course, led us to the beach at 2 in the morning.

_Flashback_

"_Ohh come on guys! No one is going to catch us."_

"_I don't know Marvel. We just had the best time at the premiere and if we get caught we could be in so much trouble." I saw everyone around me nod their head agreeing with Glimmer._

_Marvel of course scoffed at the suggestion. "Woman please. We are not going to get caught. We are the only ones that know where we're going so if we get caught it will be because one if us told. Now I'm not going to tell anyone. Are you guys?"_

_I rolled my eyes at this stupid logic. As if the police couldn't be patrolling the streets and question why there are parked cars at the beach during the middle of the night. Nevertheless, I was always up for a challenge._

"_Oh come on. Don't be such babies. Where is your sense of adventure?" I stepped next to Marvel waiting for everyone to change their mind._

"_Cato Hadley is no baby." I knew calling everyone a baby would at least get his attention. Naturally, Cato stepped up next to me._

_We watched as gears slowly turned in everyone's head. "Well, I mean I guess it would be something to remember." Peeta stepped up quickly followed by Katniss as she is never one to miss out on an adventure._

_We all looked expectantly at Gale and Glimmer. They looked at each other making a silent agreement with each other. They'll do it if the other does. "Fine let's go!" We all cheered at Glimmer's words as we moved down the steps to the beach. Dressed in our finest clothes we proceeded to build a small bonfire to enjoy the waves. _

_I took a sit to the right of Peeta as Katniss was already on his left. To my right Cato sat and gave me a smile. I smiled back. To his right was Marvel, Glimmer, and then Gale. Marvel had his portable speakers in the car so he brought them out to listen to music. The music wasn't loud, but at a perfect level so we could all enjoy it without any risks of being caught. _

_For hours we talked aimlessly about anything and everything. We recalled our favorite memories while we were in the filming process as well as during the move tour. We laughed at Marvel's lame jokes and smiled at all the stars shining above us._

_After a while Glimmer quickly got up. "I'll be right back." She hurried away to retrieve something from her car. When she returned I looked up to see her holding up her camera. "Hey guys. I think it is only fitting that we capture this moment. To remember that no matter where we all go from here this has been the best time of our lives. No matter what happens, we'll always be friends." _

_We all looked at each other as we took a moment to remember different experiences we shared with each of our friends. "Let's do this." I agreed quickly and fist bumped with Cato. Glimmer set the timer and we all crowded together. I leaned my head on Cato's shoulder as I slipped my arm under his and took hold of both his and Peeta's hand. Cato lowered his head on mine as Glimmer snuggled to Marvel on the right of us and Katniss swung her arms around Peeta and Gale to the left of us. This is how it should be. Everything was perfect in the world. Well, at least my world._

"If you don't like it we could always change it up. I want you to feel as comfortable here as possible and—" Peeta's words brought me back to the present.

"Peeta, stop. Really, it's great. You've already done so much just by letting me stay with you. It's perfect. Thank you." Really though, I feel more at home right now than I have in a while. I hope Peeta knows it.

He smiles back and says, "No need to thank me. You know I'd do anything for my little sister." I smiled, grateful for the familiarity of Peeta's giving nature. It's so good to be home.


End file.
